The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
10/6/2010 column
The maple trees are turning blazing red to sunkissed orange in our yard, a sure sign that it is time to start wrapping things up for the growing season.
My garden looked great right up to Farm Camp and then my focus shifted to “real” farm work and the weeds took over, my tomatoes ended up with blight and I forgot about my late planted cucumbers and peas.
Despite all that, I was still able to put up enough vegetables to get us through to next year.
When there are only two of us at home, I don’t need quite as many jars of summer goodness stored away.
I’ll have to pop over to the neighbors to buy a few pumpkins to process and to decorate with.
I’m looking forward to making our annual end of harvest Pumpkin Stew. (I shared that recipe last year.)
Here is another family favorite pumpkin recipe.
Aunt Nan’s Pumpkin Bars have been one of our kids’ favorite treats. It is so easy to make and is a nice alternative to all the chocolate treats at potlucks. I usually bake 2 pans because they freeze so well. I’ll make one regular pan of bars and I’ll add a cup of raisins to the other pan. (Austin hates raisins). Nancy will top them with a cream cheese frosting. I skip that part. The bars are moist enough without it and it is one way to cut down on the guilt and calories of having 2 bars. I will even use leftover squash from supper to make these bars.
2 c. pumpkin or squash (cooked, pureed or canned)
1 ½ c sugar
1 c. salad oil
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
Beat together in a mixing bowl.
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Mix in.
Pour into lightly greased jelly roll pan.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 TBSP butter, softened
¾ pound of powdered sugar
2 tsp milk
Mix until smooth. Spread on warm pumpkin bars. Cool and cut into bars. Keep in refrigerator in warm weather.
I found these next two recipes in a cook book I won in a drawing from the Dairy Star. I was so excited since I rarely win any lottery or drawing. The next thing I know, I’m writing a cooking column. I think something may have been rigged. I have enjoyed reading it and discovering new dishes to use the extra veggies in my garden. It is called “Simply In Season..Recipes that celebrate fresh, local foods in the spirit of More-with-Less.”
4 c. cooking apples (peeled and sliced)
2 c. cranberries
¼ c. brown sugar
1 tsp orange peel (grated; optional)
Combine in large bowl and toss gently until fruit is coated. Place in a greased 8 x 8 baking dish.
¾ c. brown sugar
¾ c. flour
¾ c. rolled oats
½ c. oat bran
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine in medium bowl.
4 TBSP butter
1 TBSP oil
Cut into flour mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apple mixture. Bake 350 until fruit is soft and topping is crisp, 45- 50 minutes. Serve warm with milk or ice cream.
8 oz angel hair pasta (cooked)
2 c. broccoli florets
1 c. carrots (julienned)
½ c red sweet pepper (sliced)
1 sweet onion (sliced)
Five minutes before pasta is done, add the vegetables to the cooking water. Continue cooking until pasta is done and vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain and set aside.
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ TBSP oil
In large skillet, sauté seasonings in oil.
2 TBSP flour
1 c. milk
Add flour and stir briefly
Add milk, stirring constantly until thickened
1 c. cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
Add and heat through
½ c. Cream Cheese or Yogurt Cheese
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
Add and heat, but do not boil. Serve the white sauce over the pasta and vegetables. Garnish with extra Parmesan Cheese.
Place yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth and drain for 1 hour. Use the whey, the drained liquid, in bread baking. The drained, thickened yogurt is “yogurt cheese”. It can replace cream cheese in some recipes.
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As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
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